Dash lamp



May 11 19264. 1 1,584,373

, V W. HERMANN,

DASH LAMP l Filed Jah. 16, 192e fly-6722571' 1%] gagarman/z,

Patented May 11, 1926.

UNITED srArEs EArENr oFEicE.

WOLFGANG HERMANN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR iTO METAL SPECIALTIES MANUFACTURING COMPANY, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DASH LAMP.

Application led January This invention relates particularly to a dash-lamp adapted to be mounted on the dash of an automobile. More especially, the improved device is adapted to be secured to an instrument-plate and a dash carrying the instrument-plate.

The primary object is to provide a dashlamp which can be provided as .a unit which is capable of being applied with great facility to an instrument-plate and dash carrying the sam-e, without the necessity of altering the instrument-plate and dash in any way.

The invention is illustrated in its prer ferred embodiment in the accompanying e drawing, in which- Fig. 1 represents a broken elevational view of an automobile-dash carrying an instrument plate, the improved dash lamp being mounted thereon; Fig. 2, a broken vertical sectional view taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a rear view of the instrument-plate and instruments mounted thereon; and Fig. 47 a broken vertical sectional view illustrating the manner in which the electric connector of the dash lamp is mounted on the attaching bracket employed.

In the illustration given, A designates an automobile-dash, which ordinarily is of sheet-metal, but which may be of wood; B, an instrument-plate mounted on said dash and equipped with an ammeter B and a switch B2; and C, the improved dashlamp mounted on the instrument-plate `B V and 'dash A.

The dash A and instrument-plate B are of well known Construction. In practice, the dash and instrument-plate are provided with registering perforations at the pointsv 1 and 2. Ordinarily, a pair of screws, such as the screw 3, is employed to secure the instrument-plate to the dash at the points 1 and 2. In accordance with the present invention, one of the screws 3 (the upper one) is replaced by a tubular screw 4 which serves as a conduit Jforthe passage of an electric conductor 5 which leads to the electric connector which carries the lamp-bulb.

The dash-lamp C comprises, in the illustration given, a bracket-plate 6; an electric connector 7 mounted on the bracket-plate 6; a hood 8 mounted on the forward end of the connector 7, and a lamp-bulb 9 16, 1926. Serial No. 81,753.

mounted in the forward end of the connector.

' The bracket-plate 6 has a rearwardly flanged upper portion 6a and a wide baseportion 6b.- The flange of the portion 6a is adapted to bear againstfthe front surface of the dash A. The flange is extended along the lateral curved edges of the bracket-plate and the lower extremities of the flange `are suitably curved, as indicated at 6C, to bear upon the flanged edge of the instrument-plate B. The lower extremity of the bracket-plate overlaps the upper portion of the instrument-plate B and is provided with a central perforation encircled by a countersunk 6d which fits into a countersink 10 with which the instrument-plate B is provided.

The tubular bolt 4 has a conical portion which fits in the countersink 6d. Thebolt 4 extends through the registeringperforations of the bracket-plate 6, the instrumentplate B and the dash A, and is secured by means of a nut- 4a. The lower edge of the instrument-plate is' secured to the dash by means of the screw-bolt 3.

The connector 7 comprises a tubular shell 7a whose rear end is secured in a perforation with which the bracket-plate 6 is provided; a movably mounted plug 7 b, the plug being adapted to be moved forwardly to the circuit-making position by means of a stem 11 which projects laterally through a cam-slot 12 in the shell 7a; and a coilspring 7c adapted to retract the plug 7b and break the circuit.

The plug 7 b is shown fitted centrally with a spring-contact 7d. The wire, or conductor, 5 extends through the tubular bolt 4, and returns through a perforation 13 with which the back of the plate isprovided. One end of the conductor is connected with the central contact 7d. The other end is intended to be connected with one pole of the battery in any suitable manner. In the illustrationy given, it isv shown connected with one of the terminals 14 of the ammeter, and it will be understood that it will thus be connected to the battery through the ammeterconnection.

The lamp-bulb 9 is shown provided with a central Contact 15 adapted to make the circuit when the spring-contact 7d is in contact therewith, as occurs .when the' plug 7b is moved to its advancedposition. The circuit is completed from the shell of the lamp-bulb shank to the frame of the machine and from thereto the battery.

The bracket-plate 6 which carries `the dash-'lamp may be of a suitable design to harmonize with the design of the instrument-plate B and the instruments mounted thereon. It will be understood that the 'improved device may be applied by simply removing the two screws which are ordinarily employed for securing the instrument-plate to the dash, placing the dash-lamp inv position on the instrument-plate, connecting the conductor with a terminal kof the ammeter, and then securing the dash-lamp and instrument-plate to the dash, the tubular boltl being now used in place of a solid bolt 3.

The improved device can be manufactured cheaply and supplied to automobile users at a moderate price, and can be readily applied without the necessity of drilling holes in the instrument-plate and dash. Also, the dash-V lamp is located'in the best position to throw light upon the ammeter and switch which are mounted on the instrument-plate.

It is preferred to use a mounting for thedash-lamp which will place the lamp-bulb some distance above the instrument-plate, so that the light will Abe thrown uponthe instruments to best advantage'. However, the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown. The dash A is cut away at 16 to enable the instruments and B2 to project through lthe dash. v rllhe foregoing detailed description has beengiven Vfor clearness of understanding only, but no'unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

Vhat l regardV as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:y

l. In means of the character set forth, the combination with a motor-vehicle dash vand an instrument plate adjacent the front surface thereof provided' with a perforation, of a dash-lamp associated with said instrument plate and having supporting means provided with a tubular member extending through said perforation and secured to said dash, said dash4lamp having a conductor eXtending through saidtu'bular member and connected with a terminal of an instrument mounted on saidinstrument plate.

L2. In means of the vcharacter set'forth, th'e combination with a motor-vehicle dash, an

instrument plate bearing against said dash and equipped withfinstruments, said instrument pla-te being provided centrally'at its upper and lower portions with perforations, of a dash-lamp. having supporting means provided with a tubular member ei;- tending through the upper perforation of said plate and connected with said dash, said dash-lamp having a' conductor extending through said tubular member, and a. screw extending through said lower perforation and connected with said dash.

3. The combination with a motor-vehicle dash and an instrument plate bearing against said/dash, said instrumentplate being provided at rits upper portion with a perforation and said dash being provided vwith a registering perforation, of a dashlamp having a bracket provided lwith a base portion conforming to and supported on the upper portion of said instrument plate and having a portion overlapping the'instrument plate and provided with a perforation registering with said 'first-mentioned perforation, said bracket having a perforation. located above the instrument plate, `a tubular member extending through said perforation, and a Vconductor leading from the lamp through the upper perforation ofthe bracket and then rearwardly through said tubular member. 1 f -Y 4l'. The combination with a motor-vehicle dash and' an Vinstrument rplate bearing against said dash, ofa dash-lamp comprising a bracket rising above theinstrument plate kand having a base portion resting'upon the upper edge of the instrument plate and also overlapping thefinstrument plate, an electric connector mounted von the upper portion of said bracket, a; lamp bulb carried by saidconnectorfa conductor leading from the rearv end of said connector through a perforation in wsaid bracket above the upper edgerof the instrumentA plate, and a tubular bolt extending throughregistering perforations in the bracket,V instrument plate and dash, said conductor extending rearwardly through said tubular bolt. f f

5. A dash-lamp for the purpose setr forth, comprising afbracket-plate provided at its upper portion .with a perforation, an electric connector having a base portion secured in said perforation, 4said bracket-plate being provided at its lower portion with a ,screwreceiving perforation and between said connector and said last-mentioned perforation; withan intermediate perforation, a tubular screw extending through said second-inenti'oned perforation, and a conductor extending from the -rear endofsaid connector forwardly through saidthird-mentioned perforation and thenrearwardly through said tubular screw. c

' VOLFGANG HERMANN.

ce i 

